Hall Of Fame

Curtis Elam Hall of Fame 2013 Inductees

Named in honor of Curtis Elam, class of 1949, who has been a major benefactor of GSC and who during his time on campus was an avid sports fan. Thanks to a gift he made to the College, we have been able to establish this Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame display is located in the lobby of the Physical Education Building.

Name: Bill Whetsell, AthleteClass of: 1946

William O. "Bill" Whetsell, a native of Kingwood and longtime fixture on the athletic scene at Marietta College, was a four year letterman in football and basketball at GSC, earning WVICA ALL Conference honors in both sports.

He played at Glenville for three years, served in the Air Force during WWII, came back to GSC as a player/coach, graduated in 1946, and received his master's degree from West Virginia University.

Whetsell was hired at Marietta College in 1947 and earned Ohio's prestigious Coach of the Year honors in 1954 at the age of 36 when he turned out the most successful basketball team in Marietta's 52-year history with the Marietta Pioneers posting a 21-1 record for the 1953-54 season.

Bill was a member of the Marietta College faculty but he was perhaps best known for his highly successful basketball teams where he compiled a 148-115 record on the hardwood between 1947-1960.

In addition to being basketball coach and fulfilling teaching responsibilities, Whetsell coached football, baseball, cross country, and golf at various points during his career at Marietta.

He was named athletic director and golf coach for Marietta College in 1959, a position he held for 10 years before becoming head of the college's physical education department and director of its intramural program.

Bill was very active in his community where he was a member of American Legion Post 64; B.P.O. Elks 477; Marietta Kiwanis Club; American Union 1, F & AM; Scottish Rite; and Royal Order of Jesters, Court 156, Parkersburg. Additionally he was an ambassador and member of Aladdin Temple and past president of Marietta Shrine Club in 1975.

Whetsell was a retired sports official, honorary member of the Ohio-West Virginia Officials Association, and a founder and life member of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.

A veteran of World War II, Whetsell, a lieutenant, was a B24 pilot with the 8th Air Force in England.

He retired from the US Air Force Reserves as a major and had served as an associate liaison officer for the U.S. Air Force Academy.

The renowned Marietta coach retired in 1988 and even in death is remembered as one of the giants of Marietta College athletics.

Whetsell, who died January 5, 1994 at the age of 76, was a member of the Ohio/WV Officials Association for Football and Basketball. He was inducted into the Marietta College Hall of Fame in 1988 and into the Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

Name: Bob Reynolds, AthleteClass of: 1958

Robert M. "Bob" Reynolds, a native of Crown in Logan County, graduated from Man High School and was a four year letterman in basketball for the Pioneers.

He led GSC with Hall of Famer Rudy Poole '58 in 1956-57 and 1957-58 Basketball Statistical Releases with Reynolds averaging 17.7 points per game during his junior year and 19.8 points per game in 1957-58.

His accomplished career record is as follows:

Year

Points

Average

Rebounds

1954-55

263

(*estimate)

10.9

42

(*estimate)

1955-56

451

16.1

127

1956-57

426

17.7

153

(*estimate)

1957-58

456

19.8

178

TOTALS

1,596

16.12

580

*estimates are based on following year actual totals

Reynolds led the way for the GSC Pioneers to upset WVIAC favored Fairmont in the 1958 WVIAC tournament.

He received a master's degree in mathematics from West Virginia University in 1960 and went to work for Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica, CA as a computing engineer.

Two years later, he accepted a similar position at TRW Systems in Redondo Beach, CA and stayed there for eight years.

His first retirement came when he was thirty-two years old, allowing him, his wife Joan Scarritt Reynolds, and their two sons to travel and live in several wonderful places throughout the United States and Mexico. This sojourn lasted for twelve years during the boys' school years. They were home schooled "on the road".

At the end of this period, they entered college at UCLA and his wife Joan began Chiropractic College in San Francisco.

At the age of 44, Bob began a second career as a college mathematics instructor and worked in this capacity until retiring from Butte College in 2006.

He and Joan divorced in 1982 after twenty years of marriage and still remain good friends. He resides in Berry Creek, CA.

Name: Bill Casto, AthleteClass of: 1967

William G. "Bill" Casto, a native of Bancroft in Putnam County, graduated from Poca High School and was a four year starter on the football team at GSC and a starter on the wrestling team.

Coach Bill Douglas, his longtime mentor and friend, was his offensive line coach as well as his wrestling coach.

Casto was captain of the football team his junior and senior years and remembered for, among other career playing highlights, the final game of his senior year when he was playing defensive tackle and had 22 tackles against WV Tech.

Bill was Sports Editor for the Kanawachan staff, a member of the Theta Xi Fraternity, an outstanding student athlete during his college career, and has had a most distinguished professional career.

He coached high school football at James Wood High School in Winchester, VA and at Warren County High School in Front Royal, VA.

Casto went on to coach at The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA for seven years and was Offensive Coordinator for four years.

He later coached and then served as Athletic Director for 16 years at Newport News Apprentice.

Bill has been a tireless servant in his roles as a member of the Board of Directors & Regional Commissioner of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (11 years), the Virginia Amateur Sports Association (10 years), and as Executive Director/Commissioner of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association where he is currently in his eighth year as head of the USCAA.

Casto was recognized as the 2008 Virginia Peninsula "Sports Person of the Year".

In 2007, he was inducted into the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) Hall of Fame.

Bill, who resides in Williamsburg, VA, holds a masters from George Washington University (1982) and additional post graduate credits from the University of Virginia — Guidance Certificate, West Virginia University — Psychology of Sport, and Wake Forest University — Business Management.

Name: Steve Seals, AthleteClass of: 1970

Stephen H. "Steve" Seals of Dunbar was a four year starter in football for the Pioneers and also participated in track.

He came to GSC from Charleston High where he played football for GSC Hall of Famer Frank Vincent '55 and basketball for GSC Hall of Famer Lou Romano '40 in addition to running track at the high school.

Seals was Two Time WVIAC ALL Conference in football where he played both ways.

He was First Team WVIAC ALL Conference as a defensive end during his sophomore year and Second Team WVIAC ALL Conference as a fullback during his junior year.

He continued to play fullback during his senior year and was team caption in 1967 and 1968.

Steve was captain of the 1968 football team that played Norfolk State in the team's season opener at the 22nd Fish Bowl Classic in Portsmoth, VA with GSC Hall of Famer Jim Frashure '70. They played in front of a record setting crowd of over 17,000.

As a Letterman, Seals belonged to the G Club and was an active member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity during his college career.

He was named to the Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities in 1969 and went on to teach at Roosevelt Junior High from 1970-79.

Seals, now retired, worked for the Kanawha County Parks and Recreation Commission where he served as Manager of the Shawnee Regional Park from 1979-2008.

Gary W. Ray, of Putnam County, graduated from Winfield High School and was a four year starter in football for the Pioneers.

He was team captain in 1970.

Gary played offense for two years, defense for two years, and was named Second Team WVIAC ALL Conference during his junior year.

He was an active member of the Theta Xi Fraternity.

Ray taught at Oak Hill High School from 1971-1977; was a teacher/coach at Buffalo High School in 1977-1978; assistant principal/athletic director at Oak Hill High School 1978-1995; principal at Oak Hill High School from 1995-1997; Director of Schools for the Fayette County Board of Education from 1997-2001 and has been at the WVSSAC since 2001.

He received a master's degree in Secondary Administration from West Virginia College of Graduate Studies in 1979.

Ray was Assistant Executive Director of the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission from 2001-2007 and has served as Executive Director of the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (aka WVSSAC), 2007- present.

He served on the National Federation Strategic Planning Committee from 2008-2009 and has been selected to serve on the National Federation of High Schools Board of Directors beginning in August of 2013.

Gary resides in Parkersburg with his wife Cindy, who he met at Glenville.

They have two children: Amy and her husband Mark Bloomfield, Adam Ray and his wife Amanda, and three grandchildren, Derek, Nathan and Kendall Bloomfield.